What Does Hope Look Like?

Nova didn't know why this time was different, but it was.

After years of enduring manipulation, abuse, and promises that things would change, she took the first step toward a life free from domestic violence. With the clothes on her back and only flip-flops on her feet, Nova left her abuser and came to SafeHouse Denver’s Emergency Shelter.

Nova’s abuser controlled every aspect of her life for 26 years, so while staying at our Emergency Shelter, she worked hard to regain that control. But the pandemic made everything so much harder. Hours were cut at her job. Community resources were more challenging to come by. Even her family had turned their backs on her.

After weeks of putting in effort with every community resource, working every shift she could, and meeting with her Advocate regularly, Nova began to regain her confidence. Best of all, she was accepted into SafeHouse Denver’s Extended Stay Program (ESP), where she could live independently and continue processing the trauma of her abuse.

At the Extended Stay Program, Nova had a supportive space that she could call her own. Her hours began to increase at work, and staying at the ESP allowed her to save every penny for a security deposit on an apartment. Working with her Case Manager, she began feeling empowered and strong, and she rediscovered her own self-worth. While she was living at the ESP, Nova had this to say:

"I have never had a doorbell that worked in my entire life. When I saw that I had my own doorbell, I couldn’t help but to press it a few times. It is such a small thing, but that doorbell makes me feel like I am worth it."

Nova recently moved into her own apartment. She has found her resilience and is looking forward to a life free from abuse. “I’m a completely different person now,” she recently shared. “Like a butterfly, I’ve found my wings!”